14 DAY TRIAL // A murder-suicide in Kansas City is sparking debates about gun control, as star linebacker Jovan Belcher was involved in the incident.
According to NY Daily News, 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins was shot to death on early Saturday, December 1, by her boyfriend, Belcher. He became enraged after she returned late from a concert, and committed the act in front of his mother.
Perkins had given birth to the couple's daughter Zoey just three months ago. Police found her blood, as well as broken glass, in the player's black 2007 Bentley Continental GT.
A few hours later, Belcher drove to Arrowhead Stadium, where he took his own life in front of the team's crew members, including coach Romeo Crennel, and the club's general manager, Scott Pioli.
Perkins' friends stated that they had witnessed no sign of previous domestic abuse.
“He was such a calm, laid-back person — you would never think he would be capable of something like this,” Metropolitan Community College classmate Brianne York says.
Some believe that the violent nature of football is what led to the incident, as players suffer brain trauma during on-field collisions. Reports show that five other NFL players took their own lives in the last year alone.
During Sunday Night Football's halftime segment on December 2, broadcaster Bob Costas made a note about the Belcher murder-suicide.
As we wrote earlier today, the sportscaster blames the linebacker's actions on the lack of gun control. He supports Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock, quoting from his pro-gun control article.
“In the coming days, Jovan Belcher's actions and their possible connection to football will be analyzed. Who knows? But here, wrote Jason Whitlock, is what I believe. If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today,” Costas says.